Resources

Atheist Alliance International relies on and appreciates the assistance of a range of contributors to its operations and activities. Thank you everyone!

Social Media

Ahura

Matt Kovach (Social Media Coordinator)

Matt Kovach previous ran his own business as a hairstylist, but today considers himself a habitual volunteer and activist. He has volunteered for AAI since before its separation in 2011 and is currently also a volunteer with Responsible Charity. Matt's motto is "Two hands working can do more than a thousand hands clasped in prayer".

AAI News Team

Elizabeth Emery (Managing Editor)

Elizabeth Emery is a hereditary ex-Mormon from Utah who currently resides in Chicago. After holding many leadership positions during her active tenure with the Church, Emery embraced her Atheist views and fully resigned. She holds a Bachelors degree in English, and is a contributing writer for several publications, in addition to maintaining her personal blog: <lizeverything.com>. She is particularly passionate about Mormonism's entrenched hold on Utah culture, and continues to study modern Mormonism and Church history.

Christine Jaurigue (Editor/Coordinator)

Christine lives in New Zealand and works as a teacher. She has degrees in English Literature and Psychology, and a diploma in Editing. She was raised in a Catholic family and embarked on her road to atheism after reading Dawkins' The Selfish Gene and Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Mark Kolsen (North America)

Hoping his students will understand the power of science and reason, Mark Kolsen teaches in suburban Chicago. A long-time fan of the "four horsemen" (and the late Victor Stenger), he strives to fully grasp scientific cosmology's standard model.

Melita Granger (AAI Board-News Team Liaison)

Melita is a freelance researcher and writer, and also writes fiction. A native of Melbourne, Australia, she is currently living in San Francisco. She holds a Masters degree in applied communications and research journalism, as well as other graduate degrees in the Arts/Humanities field. Melita is pleased to have the opportunity to help AAI fight the damage that religion inflicts all over the world.

Jo Stephanie (Africa)

Jo is an ex-Catholic from southern Africa and has been an atheist since her late teens. After several years living in a secular country, Australia, and returning to Africa, the privileged position which religion has on the African continent has become ever more clear to her. Black African, female atheists such as herself are possibly the least visible group among atheists globally and she hopes to add her voice to the few out there.

Anne Kelley (Australia)

Many times Anne has been admonished for nothing more than an outlook on life that isn't infinite. Living in her quiet city of Brisbane, she still sees a lot of injustice towards those who require medical and mental health care, and cannot receive it due to religious institutions. She hopes that by helping exposing religious prejudice bit by bit to the world it will help expand the idea that secularism does not have to be taboo.

Faran J. (Asia)

Faran is a Pakistani ex-Muslim atheist with a Masters degree in International Relations. He is a teacher by profession and a passionate education activist. Born and raised in a conservative Muslim family, he renounced religion in his late teen years after reading the Koran and the Bible.

Mohammad (Middle East)

Mohammad was raised in a very religious Islamic family. He used to go to mosques frequently and do religious tasks precisely. But, about five years ago, he found out that the religious things he used to do were nonsense. He felt what he was doing within the Islamic principles was meaningless. As a result, he decided to come out of superstitious world and go in to the real world. He looks for a better world and thinks in the absence of education and knowledge gods and supernatural powers are made. He believes by thinking rationally making such a world with peace is possible. Living in a country with the right of freedom of thought and expression and going to university are two of his aims.

Raymond Clevenger (North America)

Raymond Clevenger is a computer networking specialist who works for a state university. He was raised in a household devoted to the Society of Friends (Quaker), but began to heavily question his own religious belief early in life. Upon turning eighteen he joined the U.S. military and served in the First Iraq War. His experiences in the military and a constant bombardment of religious propaganda and coercion from acquaintances, friends, and family influenced him to become a more outspoken atheist, with a desire to encourage skepticism and reason in order to live in a healthier society based on freedom of thought instead of the constricted teachings of religion.

Nadim (Lebanon)

Born into a religious community and raised by religious parents, Nadim's journey as an atheist has not been easy. Lebanon is a place full of sectarian and religious struggles. Clashes and wars in the name of religion caused Nadim to look for a brighter future for himself and for all of mankind. Journalism takes a huge part of his everyday life as he tries to always find the real story, exactly what happened when he decided to get rid of the fairy God.

Eduardo Feliz Arias (Germany)

Eduardo is originally from Spain and was raised in a traditional Catholic family. After some years of military education, he left Spain to labour within the social development industry in countries such as Chile, Colombia and Bolivia. He later moved to India working as a project manager and administrator for private charitable organizations. Later on he went back to Central America where he supervised a project in education. Due to the fact that religious objectives unnecessarily superseded development strategies and outcomes in his work, he turned to humanism and atheism as the basis of a secular life.

Eduardo has been married for more than thirty years and lives now with his German wife in the Lower Rhine region, surrounded by lakes and in between the Rhine River and The Netherlands. He holds an MBA in Leadership and Sustainability from the University of Cumbria (UK).

UN Special Consultative Status Project Lead

Rustam Singh

Rustam Singh is nearing completion of his Master’s degree in journalism and mass communications and based in India. He is the editor of the Secular World magazine since 2014 and has participated in nearly three dozen national level Modal United Nations conferences, in nearly every designation and won multiple awards in the same. His previous writing experience includes feature news in the local supplements of India’s largest daily English newspapers, the Hindustan Times Punjab & the Times of India (Chandigarh).

Public Relations Team

Roger Chao

Roger Chao is a social and policy researcher, managing numerous Government, NGO, and University research projects. In his spare time he also works as an independent scholar, publishing in and reviewing for journals in the field of ethics and philosophy of religion. He has been active in the secular community since the early 2000s and his extensive travels around the world, and passion for the outdoors have helped cement his secular outlook on life.

Christopher Myrick

Christopher Myrick has worked in international journalism and corporate communications for more than a dozen years, primarily serving for international news agencies and corporations within East Asia. He currently is based in Toronto, Canada, providing editorial and communications services for major financial institutions, as well as speechwriting and consulting services to global clients.

Conventions

Mark Gilroy

Mark is a committee member of the Atheist Foundation of Australia (AFA) and was involved in the organisation of both the 2010 and 2012 Global Atheist Conventions in Melbourne. He works full time as an I.T. Project Manager. Mark was raised a Catholic but decided that it was all just a bit silly, and lapsed after leaving home and going to university. Reading Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" turned indifference into atheism, and Mark now helps out the atheist cause wherever he can.

Technical

Peter Caires (Animator)

Former Catholic church-avoiding Peter Caires is currently finishing his BA degree in Animation - with hopes to continue at master level. His skills are generally centred around creative output, from short films, music production, poster and logo design to a splash of web design. A love of science and a passion for dinosaurs was always likely to banish religious superstition from his mind, despite taking 21 years to do so! His favourite heroes include Noam Chomsky, the late Christopher Hitchens (yes both!), Richard Dawkins, Julian Assange and Bradley Manning. Peter's YouTube channel is www.youtube.com/peterlikesthis.

Passionate about making the world a better place, dedicated dad and round-the-clock web development addict. With 100+ websites under his belt loves a challenge and always tries to push the envelope. Favourite motto: "Like doing something, love somebody, don't be a shmuck, live your life meaningfully".

Jake Stollery (Graphic Design)

As a passionate thinker, creative and technologist, Jake Stollery consumes his energy exploring the space between the beautiful and the binary. Besides working across fashion, music and lifestyle brands, he is a passionate atheist and thinks that a better world is one where religion no long hiders the progress of humanity :)

Leandro Yampolsky has been a member of ArgAtea (Asociación Civil de Ateos en Argentina) since December 2008. He has volunteered in many campaigns organized by ArgAtea, such as the Atheist Picnic in Buenos Aires to support the 09/27/2009 Atheist Public Display in Mexico and the Buenos Aires 10:23 Challenge 2011 against homeopathy. In April 2010, at the Second National Congress (Mar del Plata, Argentina), he participated in the introductory speech of ArgAtea. He was webmaster of ArgAtea's website from June 2009 until November 2010. Leandro was co-anchor of the first Argentine radio program on atheism, skepticism and critical thinking, Nuevos Ayres Criticos, in 2009. He has written articles promoting scientific thought, criticizing the Catholic Church and discussing abortion, which have been published in the Argentine magazine "La Res Pública" and in ArgAtea's freethought magazine. Leandro was an AAI Director for a one year term ended May 2012.

Vision: a secular world where public policy, scientific inquiry and education are not influenced by religious beliefs, but based upon sound reasoning, rationality and evidence.

Mission: to challenge and confront religious organisations and faith and strengthen global atheism by promoting the growth and interaction of atheist and freethought organisations in countries and regions around the world and undertaking international educational and advocacy projects.

The AAI Exchange is the forum for AAI affiliate and associate groups to discuss issues of interest relevant to Atheist Alliance International and our groups. The registered contacts of our affiliate and associate groups are automatically subscribed to the AAI Exchange when a new affiliate or associate group joins AAI.

The AAI Exchange serves as an advisory body to the AAI Board of Directors. The Board encourages the Exchange members to bring up issues and new projects for consideration by the Board as well as ideas and successes to be shared with the other groups included on the Exchange.

BYLAWSATHEIST ALLIANCE
INTERNATIONAL INC. (the “Alliance”)Last Updated July 2013

THE ALLIANCE

1. The vision of the Alliance (the
“Vision”) is a secular world where public policy, scientific inquiry and
education are not influenced by religious beliefs, but based upon sound
reasoning, rationality and evidence.

2. The mission of the Alliance (the “Mission”) is to challenge and confront religious faith, to strengthen global atheism by promoting the growth and interaction of atheist/freethought organisations around the world and to undertake international educational and advocacy projects.

3. The Alliance is legally
established in the State of California, USA, and is subject to the relevant
laws and regulations of that state.

BYLAWS

4. The Bylaws were adopted by the
Board following incorporation of the Alliance.

5. These Bylaws may be amended at
a General Meeting. Motions to amend the
Bylaws must be received by the Secretary at least eight weeks prior to a
General Meeting.

6. Notwithstanding clause 5 the
Board may make trivial amendments to the Bylaws for the purposes of grammar,
punctuation or clarity, subject to appeal at a General Meeting.

7. Any doubt that may arise as to
the interpretation of these Bylaws shall be resolved by the Board, subject to
appeal at a General Meeting.

8. Any Director or Member may propose an amendment to the Bylaws. Such a proposal must state the specific new
language proposed, indicate the old language to be modified or replaced, and be
accompanied by a statement of the reasons for the proposed changes.

9. To be effective, amendments to
the Bylaws must be passed by at least a Two-Thirds Majority of votes cast by
Members at a General Meeting.

DEFINITIONS

10. In these Bylaws:

“Affiliate Member” means any organisation that is a
full member of the Alliance, having met the required criteria, having paid its
annual fees on time, and having fulfilled its annual responsibilities to the
Alliance.

“Annual General Meeting” means
the General Meeting of the Alliance held each year in a format to be determined by the Board.

“Associate Member” means any organisation that has an
agreed co-operative partnership with the Alliance in order to further common
aims, having met the required criteria, having paid its annual fees on time,
and having fulfilled its annual responsibilities to the Alliance.

“Board” means the body
consisting of the Officers and the other Directors as appointed or elected in
accordance with these Bylaws.

“Director” means a member of the Board and includes
Officers.

“General Meeting” means any
meeting of the Members at a physical location to consider, or electronic process established bythe Board through which Members consider, issues such as electing or removing Directors, voting on properly received motions,
passing statements of Alliance policy, and receiving information from the Board
in respect of the Alliance’s operations.
Members eligible to participate in General Meetings may do so in person
or through any electronic means approved for that purpose by the Board.

“Individual Member” means any person who is an
individual member of the Alliance, having met the required criteria, having
paid their annual fees on time, and having fulfilled their annual
responsibilities to the Alliance.

“First Past the Post” means a voting system in which
the nominees with the highest number of votes are elected.

“Member” means an Affiliate Member, Associate Member and/or
Individual Member as the context requires.

“Officer” means a Director that is the
President, Vice President, Treasurer or Secretary and any other position held by a Director that is deemed to be such by the Board.

“Simple Majority” means more than half of all votes
cast (not counting abstaining or neutral votes).

“Two-Thirds Majority” means the votes in cast in
favour must be at least twice the number of the votes cast against (not
counting abstaining or neutral votes).

MEMBERS

11. There are three classes of
membership of the Alliance – Affiliate Members, Associate Members and
Individual Members.

12. Membership is open to all
organisations or individuals who subscribe to the Vision and Mission of the
Alliance.

13. The Board can suspend or revoke
any Membership if it judges that the Member concerned has failed to meet the
relevant Membership criteria, or if it considers that the Member’s activities
are incompatible with the best interests of the Alliance as a whole.

14. The Board shall set annual
Membership fees for each category of membership, which must be paid in full
within 60 days of receipt of an invoice by the Member. The Board may waive or reduce fees for any
organisation at any class of membership if it is satisfied that the group
suffers financial hardship and its membership would be a benefit to the
Alliance.

15. Any Member whose annual fees (as
adjusted for any waiver or reduction by the Board) have not been paid on time
will forfeit their votes (if any) at any General Meeting, may not nominate a
person or stand for election to the Board, and may have their membership
suspended or revoked by the Board.

16. Any Member wishing to terminate
their Membership can do so by notifying the Secretary in writing of their
intention, their reasons, and the effective date of the termination.

Affiliate Membership

17. Affiliate Membership is open to
local, regional, national and supra-national organisations throughout the world
(with one exception in relation to groups from the United States of America,
detailed in clause 23) that are determined by the Board to meet the following
criteria:

The organisation must be a
recognised group within the atheist/agnostic/humanist/freethought community

The organisation must operate in an ethical manner.

The organisation must be able
to demonstrate that it has a democratic character (including elections to its
governing body at least every four years).

18. Applications for Affiliate
Membership will be subject to review and approval by the Board. All such applications must include at least:
the application form, a copy of the applicant’s bylaws or constitution or
similar document, a statement that the applicant subscribes to the Vision and
Mission of the Alliance, contact details for three current officers of the
applicant, its membership figures, and details of the applicant’s activities.

19. The criteria for Affiliate
Membership may be changed from time to time by the Board.

20. If an organisation’s Affiliate
Membership application is refused by the Board it may have its application
voted on at the next General Meeting. If
the application is approved by a Simple Majority of the votes cast at the
General Meeting the organisation will be approved for Affiliate Membership by
the Board (subject to the exception stated in clause 23).

21. A condition of continuing
Affiliate Membership is that each Affiliate Member must respond as reasonably
requested to an inquiry from the Board regarding its up-to-date membership
figures, most recent elections, current bylaws and current contact details for
at least three officers.

22. Affiliate Members hold voting
rights at General Meetings. The number of votes each Affiliate Member is
eligible to cast is weighted based on the size of their membership as per
clause 75.

23. While the Alliance may admit
national organisations from the United States of America (the “USA”) as
Affiliate Members, only local and regional groups based in the USA that are
members of Atheist Alliance of America Inc., may be accepted by the Board as
Affiliate Members.

Associate Membership

24. Associate Membership is open to local, regional, national and
supra-national organisations throughout the world that want to have a
co-operative relationship with the Alliance and that are determined by the
Board to meet the following criteria:

The organisation must be a
recognised group within the atheist/agnostic/humanist/freethought community.

The organisation must operate
in an ethical manner.

25. Applications for Associate
Membership will be subject to review and approval by the Board. All such applications must include at least:
the application form, a statement that the applicant subscribes to the
Alliance’s Vision and Mission, contact details for one current officer of the
applicant and details of the applicant’s activities.

26. The criteria for Associate
Membership can be changed from time to time by the Board.

27. If an organisation’s Associate
Membership application is refused by the Board it may have its application
voted on at the next General Meeting. If
the application is approved by a Simple Majority of the votes cast at the
General Meeting the organisation will be approved for Associate Membership by
the Board.

28. A condition of continuing
Associate Membership is that each Associate must respond as reasonably
requested to an inquiry from the Board regarding its current contact details
for at least one officer.

29. Associate Members may
participate in General Meetings but have no voting rights.

Individual Membership

30. Individual Membership of the
Alliance is open to any person throughout the world who wants to support the
work of the Alliance. Individuals may
join the Alliance independently of any Affiliate Member or Associate Member.

31. Applications for Individual
Membership will be subject to review by the Board. All such applications must include at least:
the application form, a statement that the applicant subscribes to the
Alliance’s Vision and Mission and the applicant’s contact details.

32. The criteria for Individual
Membership can be changed from time to time by the Board.

33. If an individual’s Individual
Membership application is refused by the Board the person may have their
application voted on at the next General Meeting. If the application is approved by a Simple
Majority of the votes cast at the General Meeting the individual will be approved
for Individual Membership by the Board.

34. A condition of continuing
Individual Membership is that each member must respond as reasonably requested
to an inquiry from the Board regarding their current contact details.

35. Individual Members may
participate in General Meetings but have no voting rights.

36. The Board may establish several
categories of Individual Membership for various purposes at its
discretion.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

37. There shall be a Board of the
Alliance. The Board has full executive
authority and responsibility for the operations and activities of the Alliance,
subject only to compliance at all times with the provisions of relevant laws,
these Bylaws and any policies passed by the Board.

38. The Board will comprise a
minimum of four Directors and a maximum of thirteen Directors.

39. The Board will include at least
four Officers – President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary.

40. The Board may create or abolish additional Officer positions from time to time as it deems appropriate.

41. The President of the Alliance
shall be the chairperson of meetings and of the Board and in the absence of the
President, the Vice President shall so act.
If at any meeting, neither the President nor the Vice President is
present, the Directors present must choose an alternative chairperson for the
meeting.

42. The Board may meet and
otherwise despatch its business and regulate its meetings as it sees fit, but
must hold at least six scheduled meetings to which all Directors are invited
per year. Meetings of the Board may
include in-person meetings, teleconferences, videoconferences and other formats
as the Board chooses.

43. Meetings of the Board may be
called by the President, Secretary or any two Directors.

44. A quorum shall consist of the
minimum whole number of Directors that is more than half the number of
Directors (excluding any
Directors that have been suspended in accordance with clause 66)
at that time.

45. Subject to clause 66, the business of the Board shall
be decided by a Simple Majority.
Where there is an equality of votes, the chairperson shall have a second
or casting vote

46. The Board may delegate any of
its powers to committees consisting of its members as it thinks fit. Any committee so formed shall, in the
exercise of the powers so delegated, conform to any regulations that may be
imposed upon it by the Board.

47. The Board is required to submit
to each Annual General Meeting a report on the current and proposed operations
of the Alliance and a statement of the previous year’s accounts.

48. Only the President, and any
other persons specifically designated by the Board as the President’s agents
for this purpose, may communicate or purport to communicate officially on
behalf of the Alliance.

49. Director (including Officer)
positions are voluntary roles. The
Alliance shall not make any salary, stipend or similar payments to Directors
(including Officers) in their capacity as Directors (or Officers). Directors may, however, receive reimbursement
of expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, subject to Board
approval.

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

50. The inaugural Directors were
appointed by the Incorporator on the basis of the votes recorded by the
Affiliate Members at the Members’ meeting held in Dublin on 3 June 2011.

51. Subsequent to appointment of
the inaugural Directors, the Members who are entitled to vote at General
Meetings will elect the Directors.

52. Any person nominated by an
Affiliate or Associate Member or who is an Individual Member may be considered
for election as a Director. Affiliate
and Associate Members may nominate one of their own members or such other person as they consider appropriate. Individual Members may nominate themselves.

53. All Members will be given
reasonable notice of any upcoming Director election and a reasonable opportunity
to nominate for the available positions.

54. Nominations for the election of
Directors must be submitted to the Secretary at least eight weeks in advance of
the Annual General Meeting. If fewer nominations than the maximum number of
positions available, have been received by such time, additional nominations
may be made up to the earlier of the time at which nominations equal to the maximum number of positions available are received or one week prior to the next Annual General Meeting.

55. Notwithstanding the provisions
of any other clause in these Bylaws, in all circumstances, no more than one
person nominated by any single Affiliate or Associate Member may be a Director
at any time, and no more than three people from any single nation may be
Directors at any time. Regardless of
whether or not a person was actually nominated by an Affiliate or Associate
Member, a person will be deemed to be “nominated” by an Affiliate or Associate
if they are a member of the board (or substantially similar body) of, hold an
executive position at, or have a significant influence on the operations of,
the relevant Affiliate or Associate. If
a person may be deemed to be “nominated” by more than one Affiliate or
Associate then that person may choose which applicable Affiliate or Associate
from which they will be nominated by for the purposes of this clause.

56. The election of Directors shall
be conducted by a person nominated by the Board, who shall not be a person
standing for election at that time (the “returning officer”). The voting, counting and recording of votes
shall be carried out in the most efficient manner reasonably available. At the conclusion of counting the votes, the
returning officer shall prepare a report advising: the outcome of the election,
the number of Members voting, the total number of votes cast, and the number of
votes cast for each nominee.

57. Elections to the Board shall be
conducted on the following basis:

If the number of candidates is
equal to or less than the maximum number of positions available (as prescribed
in clause 38), then Affiliate Members will cast a vote for or against each
candidate. Each candidate will only be
elected if a Simple Majority of the votes cast are in favour of their election.

If more than the maximum number
of Directors are nominated, then Affiliate Members will vote for their
preferred candidate(s) on a First Past the Post basis. Affiliate Members may vote for or against any
number of candidates, provided they only vote for a number that would result
in no more than the maximum number of permitted Directors in accordance with
clause 38. The highest ranked
candidates, in order of those that received the highest number of votes,
corresponding to the number of positions to be filled, will be elected,
provided such people receive a Simple Majority of the votes cast in favour of
their election. In the event of an
equality of votes for two or more candidates for the last elected position(s),
the returning officer shall draw lots between the candidates with an equality
of votes to determine who shall be elected.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT AND VACANCIES IN THE BOARD

58. Subject to clauses 59 - 61, Directors shall generally serve terms of two years and are eligible for
re-election when their term expires.

59. As an exceptional measure, to establish a staggered pattern for Directors' terms, when the inaugural Board
was appointed by the Incorporator, seven Directors
were appointed for a term of one year.

60. Any Directors elected will be
elected for the term stated in the relevant Notice of Meeting. A reference to “one year” and “two year” terms
will be taken to mean the time until the next Annual General Meeting (in the
case of a one year term) and until Annual General Meeting after the next (in
the case of a two year term) regardless of the actual length of time to the
dates of those meetings.

61. If required to assist with the
effective function of the Board, the Board
may permit Directors to be nominated for a term other than
as prescribed by clause 58. Any such
term shall not be longer than two years.

62. The Board may, at any time,
appoint a Director, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the
existing Directors provided:

The person satisfies the
eligibility criteria set out in clause 52, and

The total number of Directors
remains within the minimum and maximum set out in clause 38.

63. Any Director appointed in
accordance with clause 62 may remain a Director until the next Annual General
Meeting, at which time that person must nominate for election by the Members or
resign as a Director.

64. The position of any Director
shall be vacated:

If a person resigns their
position as a Director by notice in writing;

If a person is absent from
three consecutive meetings of the Board or a total of five meetings within one
year without leave of absence from the Board and the Board resolves that their
position be vacated; or

If a person has been expelled
by the Members at a General Meeting.

65. In exceptional circumstances,
where concerns are raised or allegations are made that a Director has failed in
material and serious degree to observe established rules of conduct, or has
engaged in conduct materially and seriously prejudicial to the purposes and
interests of the Alliance, a special Board meeting may be held to consider such
concerns or allegations, on the following basis:

The Director will be given at
least 14 days notice of this special meeting, by any method reasonably
considered to provide actual notice, along with details of the concerns or
allegations and any evidence provided by the person who raised such concerns or
allegations.

The Director will be given the
opportunity to submit a written statement in advance of the meeting, which, if
submitted, will be provided to all Directors.
The Director will also be given the opportunity to make a statement to
and to answer any questions at the meeting, following which the Director will
withdraw from the meeting to allow the Board to deliberate the matter.

If the Director fails to participate
in the special meeting or to submit a written statement without reasonable
excuse, the concerns or allegations will be dealt with regardless of that
Director’s absence and on the basis of the evidence available.

66. At the special meeting the
Board may decide to take no action, to suspend the Director for a period it
considers appropriate, to recommend that the Director is expelled at a General
Meeting or to sanction the Director in some other way (excluding expulsion of the Director). Any decision to suspend or recommend the expulsion of a Director
will only be effective if approved by a Two-Thirds Majority.

67. For the period of any
suspension a Director will not be invited to or participate in Board meetings
or Board discussions or decisions of the Board that occur outside Board
meetings.

68. If there is a vote to expel any
Director at a General Meeting and that Director is the nominee of an Affiliate
Member, any votes cast by that Affiliate Member on the matter will be
discounted.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

69. The inaugural Officers were appointed on the basis of the votes recorded
by the Affiliate Members at the Members’ meeting held in Dublin on 3 June 2011.

70. Excluding the inaugural Officers, the Board will
appoint Officers following such positions becoming vacant.

71. An Officer position
becomes vacant:

if the Officer resigns their position by notice in writing;

if the term of the Director holding that Officer position expires at an Annual General Meeting and the Director is not re-elected at that Annual General Meeting;

automatically, at the first Board meeting after each Annual General Meeting; or

if the Board removes a Director from an Officer position.

72. Elections of Officers will be
conducted on the following basis:

If only one person is nominated for any Officer position then Directors will cast a vote for or against that person. A candidate will only be elected if a Simple Majority of the votes cast are in favour of the election. If the candidate is not elected, additional nominations may be tendered and a further vote undertaken.

If more than one person is nominated for any Officer position then Directors will vote for each such person on a First Past the Post basis. In the event that no candidate achieves an absolute majority from such vote, then all but the two candidates who received the most votes will be eliminated, and a second round of voting undertaken, with the candidate who then achieves a Simple Majority of votes in favour elected. In the event of an equality of votes between the two final candidates, the returning officer shall draw lots between the two candidates to determine who shall be elected.

VOTING RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

73. Only Affiliate Members are
eligible to vote at General Meetings.

74. Associate Members and
Individual Members may participate in General Meetings but are not entitled to
vote.

75. The number of votes each
Affiliate Member is eligible to cast is weighted based on the size of their
paid membership. All Affiliate Members
are entitled to at least one vote, those with between 100 and 300 paid members
are entitled to an additional vote (two votes in total) and Affiliates with
over 300 paid members are entitled to an additional two votes (three votes in
total). In the event that an Affiliate
has members that are also organisations of individuals the Board will determine
the appropriate voting level.

76. At least four weeks before each
General Meeting, a roll will be prepared of the Affiliate Members entitled to
vote at the General Meeting, including the number of votes they are entitled to
cast and the person authorised to cast those votes on the Affiliate Member’s
behalf.

GENERAL MEETINGS

77. The first Annual General
Meeting of the Alliance must take place within 15 months of incorporation. Thereafter, the Alliance shall hold an Annual
General Meeting each calendar year and not more than 18 months after the last
Annual General Meeting.

78. The Annual General Meeting will
approve the accounts and elect Directors.

79. At least twelve weeks prior to
the Annual General Meeting, Members shall be notified of the date and location
of the meeting if it will be held in a physical location, or the electronic process by which the Annual general Meeting will run if it will not be held in a physical location, and of the general nature of the business to come before the
meeting.

80. At least eight weeks prior to
any General Meeting other than the Annual General Meeting, members of the
Alliance shall be notified of the date and location of the meeting if it will be held in a physical location, or the electronic process by which the Annual General MeetiNg will run if it will not be held in a physical locaiton, and of the
general nature of the business to come before the meeting.

81. Members that wish to propose a
motion at an Annual General Meeting must submit that motion to the Secretary at
least eight weeks prior to the date of the meeting.

82. Members that wish to propose a
motion at a General Meeting other than an Annual General Meeting must submit
that motion to the Secretary at least seven weeks prior to the date of the meeting.

83. If a Member proposes a motion for consideration at
an Annual General Meeting or a General Meeting and will not be present (in
person or by proxy) at that meeting, the Member may request that the Secretary
(or an appropriate person arranged by the Secretary and approved by the Member)
represent the Member at that meeting.

84. All motions will be presented
to Members at least six weeks prior to the date of a General Meeting, and any
proposed amendments to motions must be received by the Secretary at least five
weeks in advance of the meeting.

85. The Secretary will present to
all Members, no later than four weeks prior to the date of the General Meeting,
a complete agenda including all Director nominations, all motions and
amendments, the roll of voters as per clause 76, and any necessary background
information. In the case of Director nominations,
this information will include a short description of each nominee’s
qualifications and statement related to their candidacy, the country in which
they are based and whether or not they are an Individual Member and/or the
nominee or member of any Affiliate or Associate Member.

86. The Board can propose and
accept emergency motions later than the times referenced in clauses 81, 82, 84 and 85, but
only on matters that have arisen since the closure date for receipt of motions.

87. No business shall be transacted
at any General Meeting unless a quorum is present. At least one representative each from at
least five Affiliate Members constitutes a quorum for the purposes of a General
Meeting.

88. Representatives participating
in a General Meeting in person, by proxy or through such electronic forums as
the Board approves will be considered present, hold their allocated voting
rights and count towards quorum.

89. Any Affiliate Member that is
unable to attend a General Meeting may authorise another Member or
the Chair of the meeting to cast a proxy vote on its behalf, provided that
the Secretary is notified of this arrangement at least three days prior to the
meeting.

90. The President of the Alliance
shall be the chairperson of any General Meeting and in the absence of the
President, the Vice President shall so act.
If at any General Meeting, neither the President nor the Vice President
is present, the Directors present must choose an alternative chairperson for
the meeting.

91. Motions other than Special
Resolutions put to a General Meeting shall be decided on either a Simple
Majority or a majority based on preferential voting, as determined by the Board
and described in the Notice of Meeting, depending on the nature of the motion. Where there is an equality of votes, the
chairperson shall have an additional or casting vote.

92. Special Resolutions must be
approved by at least a Two-Thirds Majority of votes cast at a General
Meeting. The Alliance may only undertake
the following actions or transactions with the support of a Special Resolution:

Change of name of the Alliance

Change of Vision

Change of Mission

Merger of the Alliance with
another organisation

Dissolution of the Alliance

Expression of no confidence in
the Board or any Director

93. The Board, or Affiliate Members
representing at least 25% of the total votes that may be cast at a General
Meeting, may, whenever they think fit, convene a General Meeting.

94. The accidental omission to give
notice of a General Meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice of a General
Meeting by, any Member shall not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting.

ACCOUNTS

95. The Board shall cause proper
accounts to be kept, showing: all money received and expended by the Alliance;
all sales and purchases of goods and services by the Alliance; and the assets
and liabilities of the Alliance. The
accounts shall be such as are necessary to give a true and fair view of the
state of the Alliance’s affairs and to explain its transactions

96. The Alliance’s financial year
shall end on 31 December.

INDEMNITY

97. Each Director of the Alliance shall be
indemnified by the Alliance against any claim against them, provided that the
act committed or omission made by such Directors that led to such claim arose
out of the Director’s lawful discharge of their duties for and on behalf of the
Alliance.

98. The Alliance will pay the costs
and expenses incurred by the Director or for which that Director is liable for
(as reasonably evidenced by such Director) that arise from a claim as set out in
clause 97.

Atheist Alliance International (AAI) is a global federation of atheist and freethought groups and individuals, committed to educating its members and the public about atheism, secularism and related issues.

Strengthens co-operation between atheist and freethought organisations around the world;

Supports the establishment of new atheist/freethought organisations, particularly in developing countries; and

Facilitates and supports projects/events that promote atheism, critical thinking and empiricism, while combating discrimination against atheists and freethinkers around the world.

Vision and Mission

Atheist Alliance International's vision is a secular world where public policy, scientific inquiry and education are not influenced by religious beliefs, but based upon sound reasoning, rationality and evidence.

Atheist Alliance International's mission is to challenge and confront religious faith, to strengthen global atheism by promoting the growth and interaction of atheist/freethought organisations around the world and to undertake international educational and advocacy projects.

Education

Education is the core approach of Atheist Alliance International. AAI supports its members and the public in the acquisition of new knowledge by:

Providing news on atheist/secular issues and campaigns through the AAI website and social media channels

Publishing Secular World magazine and the periodic Imagine! newsletter

Hosting atheist conventions with local groups around the world, to provide the opportunity for communities to hear from established and new atheist speakers

Supporting the establishment of new atheist/freethought groups, particularly in developing countries

Supporting educational projects, such as the Kasese Humanist Primary School in Uganda

Advocacy

Basic rights, justice and social responsibility form the foundation of what it means to be human. AAI works to defend and protect the rights of atheists and like-minded people by publicising relevant issues, distributing media releases, developing policy statements and cooperating with other groups to bring issues and injustices to the attention of media and government.

Community-Building

AAI recognises the value of social communities and the importance of providing a strong and protective foundation for individuals, families and groups. In addition to promoting and encouraging the formation of new atheist organisations around the world, AAI supports international outreach and community-building programs such as the atheist "OUT" campaign. Such programs raise general awareness of the atheist community, help new communities to become established and counter the bias and discrimination directed at atheists. Some of these activities are operated through the AAI Foundation.

Atheist Alliance International is run by a volunteer international Board of Directors and relies on membership fees and donations to fund its activities. If you support atheism and secularism please join us!

History

Atheist Alliance International was founded in the United States as the Atheist Alliance in 1991 by four local US atheist organisations: Atheists United (Los Angeles, California), Atheist Coalition (San Diego, California), Atheists of San Francisco Region (California) and the Atheist Network (Houston, Texas). Atheist Alliance quickly added additional affiliates. Within a year, it had eight US organisations as members and by the end of 1992, its first international affiliate.

Atheist Alliance began publishing its magazine, Secular Nation, in the second half of 1994.

Atheist Alliance began hosting US conventions in 1995, with the first one held in Los Angeles, California. The Atheist Alliance website went on-line in 1997.

By 2001, the organisation had a half-dozen affiliates outside the US, and so changed its name to Atheist Alliance International (AAI).

In 2006, AAI held its first international conference, in Reykjavik, Iceland. In 2010, it began its current program of co-hosting conventions with Affiliate and Associate Members, starting with the extremely successful 2010 Global Atheist Convention held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

In 2010 AAI determined that it could more effectively pursue its goals by separating its US-focused activities from its global activities. The US-focused group, Atheist Alliance of America, became an Affiliate Member of AAI.

Values

1. Reason and rational thought. Reason and rational thought are the basis of logical decision making and essential to address the issues faced by humanity.

2. Science and empiricism. The scientific method is the best tool we have for seeking truth and understanding our world. We make conclusions based on the best available evidence and change our conclusions accordingly as new evidence becomes known.

3. Compassion. Human compassion and empathy are the basis of a cooperative social structure that benefits all people.

4. Purpose. This life is the only life we know we will have and it is up to each of us to utilise it meaningfully.

5. Freedom. All people are entitled to freedom from discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and disability. All people are entitled to freedom of conscience. AAI supports the values outlined in the International Convention of Human Rights.

6. Responsibility. Each person is part of a global society and is responsible for humane interaction with other people and animals and for the preservation of our habitable planet.

Representatives from atheist groups in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Houston met in Los Angeles on September 8, 1991, and formed Atheist Alliance Inc.: The Democratic Alliance of Autonomous Atheist Societies.

At the meeting, bylaws were drafted and adopted and officers were elected, with Massen as president, Victor King of the Atheist Network of Houston as vice president, John Edwards of Atheists United as Secretary, and Howard Kreisner of Atheist Coalition of San Diego as treasurer.

In 1992, new member groups began joining AAI. The first were Minnesota Atheists, Atheists of Florida, and Atheist League of Washington (later dissolved as no longer viable). The seven U.S.-based groups sent representatives to the 2nd annual affiliate meeting in Los Angeles on October 17-18, 1992.

Attorney James Randall (present only during first hour for legal advice and consultation)

Various members of Atheists United, present off and on as guests/observers

The assembly dealt with matters including a lawsuit filed by American Atheists against Jack Massen (individually, as the AAI founder) and AAI member societies collectively, challenging their right to form another atheist organization. (The lawsuit was eventually withdrawn, but not before Massen had paid out some US$13,300 in legal costs.)

Other agenda items included: plans for producing a magazine and holding annual conventions; developing a public relations strategy and cooperative projects among member societies; and establishing an email communications system and annual dues. Dues were set at US$125 for each U.S.-based society, with the first year free for new members.

It was also decided that AAI should support the OABITAR (Objectivity, Accuracy, and Balance In Teaching About Religion) project, a public school curriculum project to include "nonreligion" in US state school teaching standards that mandated "teaching about religion." The project was managed by Mynga Futrell and her husband Paul Geisert, members of Atheists & Other Freethinkers (AOF joined AAI in 1993). At the close of the 2nd annual meeting, officers elected were: Jack Massen (president), Marie Alena Castle (vice president), John Edwards (secretary), and Howard Kreisner (treasurer).

Under the direction of AAI’s then co-presidents, Marie Alena Castle & Christos Tzanetakos, the first issue of AAI’s new quarterly magazine, Secular Nation, was published in the second half of 1994.

By 2010, AAI had expanded to have around 50 affiliates, with ~2/3 from the US and ~1/3 from the rest of the world. In that year, supported by a member vote, AAI decided to separate into a US organisation and a global organisation to better address the focus and interests of the two sets of members. The new Atheist Alliance International was launched at the World Atheist Convention in Dublin on 3 June 2011. The US affiliates became members of Atheist Alliance of America, which became an AAI Affiliate Member.

AAI commenced holding annual conventions in 1995 in the United States, sponsored by member societies. They were organized largely by the sponsoring society, with general management and off-site assistance from AAI. From 1995 through 2006, conventions were held on Easter weekend. AAI moved its convention to September/October in 2007. Locations and sponsors are listed below, along with attendance where records are available:

1995: Burbank CA, Atheists United (~100)

1996: Minneapolis/St. Paul MN, Minnesota Atheists (~120)

1997: Orlando FL, Atheists of Florida/Humanists of Florida

1998: St. Louis MO, Rationalist Society of St. Louis

1999: Austin TX, Atheist Community of Austin (~135)

2000: Sacramento CA, Atheists & Other Freethinkers (~150)

2001: Atlanta GA, Atlanta Freethought Society (~175)

2002: Dallas/Ft. Worth, Metroplex Atheists (~190)

2003: Tampa FL, Atheists of Florida

2004: Colorado Springs CO, Freethinkers of Colorado Springs (~220)

2005: Los Angeles CA, Atheists United (~240)

2006: Kansas City MO, Heartland Humanists (~250)

2007: Arlington VA, Atheist Alliance International (500+)

2008: Long Beach CA, Atheist Alliance International (~290)

2009: Burbank, CA (~700)

2010: Montreal, Canada

In 2006, AAI held its first international conference, in Reykjavik, Iceland. In 2010, AAI commenced its current program of co-hosting conventions outside the US, starting with the extremely successful 2010 Global Atheist Convention The Rise of Atheism held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Following the separation of AAI into the current Atheist Alliance International and Atheist Alliance of America (AAA) in 2011, AAA has continued to hold an annual convention in the US and AAI has focused on conventions outside the US.

Secular World, Secular Nation & Atheos Media

In 1994, AAI established the goal of creating a publishing arm under the Atheos Media label. The first issue of AAI's quarterly magazine, Secular Nation, was published in the second half of 1994, but because of production problems it appeared only sporadically for the first several years.

1994: Secular Nation first published as a 12-page insert included in The Freethought Observer (now defunct), founded and edited by Tim Gorski in Arlington TX.

1997: Marie Castle became editor of Secular Nation.

2002: Lois Lyons became editor of Secular Nation.

2007: Dwain Deets became editor of Secular Nation.

2008: Tom Melchiorre became editor of Secular Nation.

2010: Secular Nation changed its name to Secular World to better reflect AAI's increasing global diversity

The Atheist Alliance International Board consists of 13 Directors elected by the AAI Affiliate Group Members for two-year staggered terms. No more than one nominee from any Affiliate/Associate Member may be a Director at any time and no more than three Directors may be from any one country.

The AAI Board has responsibility and full executive authority for the operations and activities of Atheist Alliance International, subject only to compliance at all times with the provisions of relevant laws, AAI's Bylaws and any policies passed at Board meetings.

All AAI Directors are volunteers.

Officers:

Christine is currently a PhD candidate (ABD) at the University of Calgary, Department of Communication and Culture, Faculty of Arts. Her research involves studying the rhetorical means by which the intelligent design movement translates religious claims into a form that convinces many to believe it is scientific discourse. She is active in several secular organizations, and in 2011, she prepared a successful application to represent the university’s students, staff and faculty who identify as non-religious, bringing together local, national and international secular groups to endorse the establishment of a Secular Humanist Liaison position at the University of Calgary’s Faith and Spirituality Centre (formerly Multi-Faith Chaplaincy). She also runs a small business, offering a repertoire of specialized graphic design services, and extensive experience in marketing, advertising, corporate communications, and public relations. Christine sees atheism as a site of political engagement; she believes that many of the threats to environmental sustainability, global peace, and social justice stem from irrationalism and superstition, and that reason and compassion are the requisite tools to promote a reality-based understanding of our world, and to counter ignorance, fear and hatred. Christine joined the AAI Board in May 2012 and served as the Secular World Board Liaison from 2012-2013.

Carlos Diaz has been the Regional Coordinator for the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area chapter of the Argentine Atheist Association (Asociación Civil de Ateos en Argentina, better known as ArgAtea) since early 2009. He co-hosted the first Argentine Atheist radio talk show (Nuevos Ayres Críticos), in a Country where the State still maintains an official religion, during 2009. As Regional Coordinator he spoke at the Second Argentine Atheist Congress in April 2010. He spoke about the Catholic Church and the Argentine State at the AAI North American Atheist Convention in Montreal in October 2010. Carlos joined the AAI Board in June 2011 and served as its President from 2012-2013.

Stuart Bechman served as AAI's President from 2008 to 2010 and from 2013 to 2014. Stuart has been active in the US freethought community for almost 20 years. His "day job" is working as a Business Analyst, and he holds graduate degrees in Accounting, Management Information Systems and Sociology. He is also a graduate of The Humanist Institute (Class 17, 2013). Stuart has served on the boards of the Secular Coalition for America, Americans United for Separation of Church & State and his local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as serving as treasurer for a number of not-for-profit organizations over the course of his career.

Gail has been an atheist for over 20 years. For the past 6 years, I have been actively involved in atheist activities including co-writing a children’s book on the topic. She has been a Social Worker for 20 years and worked in government agencies and hospitals. Before joining the AAI Board in 2014, Gail served in a non-Director role with AAI as its Middle East liaison and researcher on refugee and asylum issues.

Languages: English

General Board members:

René Hartmann (Germany, IBKA, term: 2016)

René Hartmann has been serving various on positions within IBKA since 1997. He has been the AAI representative of IBKA since 2002. Currently, he is the first chairman of IBKA, with areas of responsibility including press work, website maintenance and social media. He is also editor of IBKA’s newsletter. René holds a Diploma in informatics from the Technical University of Darmstadt. He joined the AAI Board in June 2011.

Languages: German, English

Richard Honess (UK, Atheism UK, term: 2015)

Richard Honess is an avid convention attendee, regularly attending atheist conventions in both Europe and North America, and has been a supporter/individual member of AAI since 2009 . Richard believed that the work of AAI was so important that he was the driving force to have his home group, Atheism UK, affiliate with AAI immediately after the formation of Atheism UK. He became a director to help AAI grow and develop further and to help it do more on the international stage. Richard was elected to the AAI Board in July 2013.

Languages: English, French

Elida Radig (Australia, Progressive Atheists, term: 2015)

Elia Radig is a Feminist and an Atheist in Victoria, Australia. She has 20 years’ experience Broadcasting at 3RPP Radio on the “Free Waves” Feminist program and 5 years on the “Atheist Age” program. Elida worked for 30 years as CEO at the women’s shelter “Jill House”, and as a Liaison Officer with the Police Force and Family Court. She is currently a Branch Officer of Progressive Atheists Inc. Her study at the moment is on the loss of revenue from the community due to the financial benefits received by the religious institutions in Australia. Elida was appointed to the AAI Board in July 2013 to fill the remaining term of a vacant Board seat.

Languages: Spanish, English

Karl Karnadi (Indonesia, Indonesian Atheists, term: 2015)

Karl Karnadi first became active in atheism in 2008 when he founded an Indonesian Facebook group, Indonesian Atheists (IA). While the group attracted members, he worked with various atheist, freethinker, and humanist organizations in the South-East Asian region to form a collaborative association, www.SEA-Atheist.org. But they were frustrated at the feeling of disconnect and alienation that they felt between their communities and the international atheist community. In 2011, Karl was contacted by AAI to have IA become a new group member. This gave him a new window of communication to the international atheist community; and in 2012, when one of his group's members was arrested for posting "There is No God" on his personal Facebook page, Karl worked with AAI first to provide legal support and then, with his conviction, to provide support for his family and create a scholarship for the victim upon his release from prison. The campaign elevated the visibility of Indonesian Atheists worldwide and brought to international attention the religious oppression and bigotry still condoned and practiced in Indonesia. Because of that experience, Karl wanted to participate in AAI's efforts to support, nourish, and help other atheist groups just as his group was helped, and have them know that they are not alone. He joined the AAI Board in 2013.

Languages: Indonesian, English, German

Melita N. Granger (Australia, term: 2016)

Melita Granger has always been a staunch atheist. Her interests include politics and social justice, and her vision of the future is a world free from the hate, delusional thinking, intolerance, discrimination and prejudices found in religion. She works as a freelance researcher and writer and is also writing a novel and a book of short stories. A native of Melbourne, Australia, she is currently enjoying living in San Francisco, America. She holds a Masters degree in applied communications and research journalism, as well as other graduate degrees in the Humanities field, and is presently studying a Masters degree in creative writing, publishing and editing at the University of Melbourne. Melita is pleased to have the opportunity to help AAI fight the damage that religion inflicts all over the world.

Languages: English and intermediate Hindi, German

Andrew Rawlings (Australia, term: 2015)

Andrew Rawlings has been active in the Atheist community for over 25 years. He has held state (Victoria, Australia) committee positions in Skeptic, Humanist and Secularist organisations.

Andrew is a long-time member of the Atheist Foundation of Australia and a member of Progressive Atheists since it was incorporated in 2010.

Andrew has also been very much involved in starting some university Atheist and secularist groups as well as starting and administrating some Yahoo email discussion groups, Meetup.Com groups and Facebook groups and pages.

He has also started and managing some (and assisted with starting other) local Atheist community groups. Andrew co-hosted 'Atheist Age', Australia's first Atheist radio program.

Andrew sees Atheists and the Atheist Alliance International as making a difference to the world.

Andrew had previously done some volunteer work for the AAI. He joined the AAI Board in September 2014.

Languages: English

Kato Mukasa (Uganda, HALEA, term: 2015)

Kato Mukasa is humanist and secular leader based in Kampala, Uganda, East Africa. He is Human Rights Activists and Defender, Consultant and Trainer, Poet and Author. He holds a B.A Degree (Economics & Social Administration) from Makerere University among other qualifications. He also holds a first class degree in Law and is reading a Masters Degree in Commercial Law. He has served as the Executive Director of the Humanist Association forLeadership, Equity and Accountability ( HALEA) since 2008. He is the Chair for the African Working Group of the International Humanist Ethical Youth Organization of IHEU headquartered in London [UK]. He is also an entrepreneur and he has interest in a variety of business enterprises. As an entrepreneurship trainer, he has closely worked with Uganda’s NationalYouth Council to train thousands of youth to be job makers and self sustaining.

As a critical thinker and activist, he has written several articles that have featured in Uganda’s Daily Monitor over the years. Kato sees atheism and humanism as a platform for the empowerment of the mindset and believes that the world is in a poor state today because millions of people continue to believe and practice several retrogressive religious and cultural dogmas without critically thinking them through and in effect many lives are lost and millions of people continue walloping in abject poverty and suffering. Kato believes that Freethinking as advanced by atheists and humanists is the best means to having a better world and live a betterlife, in the one life we have.